Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
How to File a Small Claims Case in the Philippines
Step-by-step guide on how to file a small claims case in the Philippines for money owed, with practical tips for first-time litigants.
How to File a Civil Case in the Philippines: A Step-by-Step Overview
Learn how to file a civil case in the Philippines, from demand letters to trial, in this plain-language step-by-step guide.
Collection of Sum of Money Philippines: Legal Options Explained
Learn the legal options for collection of sum of money in the Philippines, including demand letters, court actions, and enforcement under the Civil Code.
When Courts Must Defer to CIAC: The Limited Review of Construction Arbitral Awards
The Supreme Court clarifies the narrow grounds for overturning CIAC arbitral awards, reaffirming judicial restraint in construction disputes.
Foreclosure Suit as Sufficient Demand: Goldland Tower Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing a foreclosure lawsuit itself serves as the legal demand required to put a debtor in default under Philippine law.
Protecting Installment Buyers Understanding Rescission Rights Under THE Maceda LAW
The Supreme Court clarifies the strict notarial and grace period requirements for canceling installment contracts under the Maceda Law.
Unlawful Detainer: Tenant Rights and Obligations in the Philippines
A tenant cannot deny the landlord's title, and procedural rules in ejectment cases must be strictly followed.
Forged Signatures and Municipal Liability: Just Compensation for Illegally Constructed Roads
When a municipality builds a road on private land based on a forged deed, the owner may be entitled to just compensation rather than removal of the road.
Forged Donation Municipality Liable FOR Taking Private Land Without Just Compensation
Supreme Court rules a municipality must pay just compensation when it builds a road on private land under a forged deed of donation.
GSIS Loan Penalties: When Are They Unconscionable?
The Supreme Court ruled that compounded GSIS loan penalties can be unconscionable and subject to reduction. Learn the rules.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Proving the Work-Related Connection for Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers must prove their illness is work-related by substantial evidence, not merely allege it.
Understanding Fraudulent Property Inclusion Insights From A Landmark Supreme Court Decision
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when ejectment suits fail and why repeated demands don't reset the one-year filing period.
Mutuality of Contracts and Foreclosure Rights in Philippine Loans
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that void interest stipulations do not invalidate foreclosure when the principal debt remains unpaid.
What a Notarized Deed Must Have: Lessons from a Philippine Property Dispute
A Supreme Court ruling on notarization requirements in a family property dispute, and what it means for heirs and property owners.
Cable TV Franchise Tax: What the New Vision Ruling Means for Operators
The Supreme Court ruled that NTC-issued certificates of authority are administrative franchises subject to local franchise tax under the Local Government Code.
The Limits of Certiorari and the Finality of Acquittal in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when an acquittal can still carry civil liability, and the procedural consequences of filing a demurrer to evidence.
Extinctive Novation: When a New Loan Cancels an Old Debt and Invalidates Foreclosure
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how extinctive novation cancels old debts and why foreclosing on extinguished obligations is premature and void.
Navigating Excise Tax Refunds: The Two-Year Prescriptive Period in the Philippines
Understand the two-year prescriptive period for excise tax refunds in the Philippines and how the Supreme Court applies procedural rules in customs assessments.
Grave Misconduct and Serious Dishonesty: Lessons from Pantaleon v. Ombudsman-Mindanao
A revenue clerk's unauthorized lending of public funds led to dismissal. The Supreme Court explains grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.
Understanding Apparent Authority: How Corporate Actions Bind Agreements in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is bound by an officer's acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Mortgage Foreclosure and Prescription in the Philippines: Key Lessons from a Landmark Case
Learn how prescription periods affect mortgage foreclosure in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Active Wood Products v. State Investment House.
Prescription Period for Oral Contracts: What Creditors and Debtors Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies the six-year prescription period for oral contracts and why timely action is critical for creditors and debtors.
Credit Card Debt in the Philippines: Interest Rates, Obligations, and the Uysipuo Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies how credit card interest rates are computed and when courts can reduce unconscionable charges.
Understanding the Special Power to Sell in Real Estate Mortgages: A Supreme Court Ruling
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified what constitutes a valid special power to sell in extrajudicial foreclosure of real estate mortgages.